


A silent promise

by DanTheDanosaur



Series: McDanno [4]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Danny "Danno" Williams, First Kiss, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Episode: s02e10 Ki'ilua (Deceiver), Slow Burn, Top Steve McGarrett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:13:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24565174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanTheDanosaur/pseuds/DanTheDanosaur
Summary: The helicopter was landing where Kono was waiting for them; at that same moment Danny made a silent promise to never leave Steve again.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: McDanno [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754107
Comments: 29
Kudos: 226





	1. Breathing

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! I'm back again with more of Steve and Danny. Hope you like it.  
> This one takes place after the team goes all the way to North Korea to rescues Steve.
> 
> As always, sorry for any mistakes you may find. English is not my first language but I keep practicing to get better. 
> 
> Please leave some comments, they never fail to encourage me to keep writing! 
> 
> Mahalo.

“Hey, it’s Steve! I got Steve, He’s alive”

The moment Danny moved the cover and got sight of Steve; he finally felt the knot in his chest give out a little. He felt as if he had been holding his breath since he lost communication with Steve, and now, with the SEAL in front of him, he was finally allowed to get his much-needed oxygen. The relieve was short lived; Steve’s face was covered in blood. He looked wrecked and tired, clear signs of torture all over his exposed chest. Danny felt like screaming; he wanted to resurrect every single motherfucker they had just killed only to twist their gusts with his own hands.

“Danny” Steve’s Hazel eyes were wide open in surprise, and Danny’s rage was replaced with the explosion of emotions that swirled inside of him. Frustration, sadness, worry. He climbed inside the truck without a second thought; all he wanted was to get Steve back to safety.

“Where’s Wo Fat?”

“Just shut up, would you?”

Chin and Danny got on each side of Steve, helping the injured commander towards the barely working helicopter that was waiting for them. Just for a second, Danny allowed himself to get soaked with Steve’s presence; his still needed to convince himself that this was real, that Steve was by his side, that the body heat that he felt on his flank wasn’t some product of his imagination. He almost felt reluctant to let go of Steve, allowing him to sit with his back resting against Joe’s legs. Danny had the impression that Steve would disappear any minute now.

They took off and Danny felt Steve’s eyes staring at him.

“No, don’t. You can thank me when we get back to Oahu” The blond spoke before Steve could say anything; he knew that right now he wouldn’t be able to handle more feeling. So far, Danny had done a shit job at keeping himself calm.

Danny welcomed the cheerful mood that took over the helicopter the moment Chin announced his engagement. Hell, Danny even dared to crack a few jokes and smiles with his teammates. All he wanted was to have any distraction to stop looking at Steve; he was being selfish, and he knew it, but he couldn’t stand the sight of the blood and the injuries. The logical part of Danny’s brain told him that none of this was his fault; but a louder panicked one screamed at him for not stopping Steve when he told him about going to North Korea with Jenna.

And Jenna was another topic that Danny wanted to avoid. Whenever he blinked, he could still see her body. He was angry at her, for everything she had caused, the danger she had dragged Steve into, but still he felt hurt and broken at seeing the girl that he remembered with a shy and charming smile lying dead with an arm chained to the wall. He knew that the image would never leave his memory.

With everyone still chatting about Chin’s wedding, all of them clearly trying to distract Steve from thinking about Wo Fat, Danny couldn’t resist anymore and sneaked a glance in Steve’s direction. The commander was smiling fondly at the team, one arm around his torso, which was beginning to show hints of purple and green with bruises. Danny gulped, his eyes locked on the way Steve’s chest raised and fell. That’s when the realization hit him like a brick. He was in love with Steve. He knew he had feeling for the man, but he had not dared to put a name to those feeling until now.

When Joe had offered the team a chance to step out of the mission before they took the plane to Seoul, Danny didn’t even consider the possibility of not going. He knew he could die, leave Grace without a father, but he still never doubted. If Danny died, she would still have Rachel and Stan, but Steve was alone. Danny couldn’t stand the thought of abandoning Steve, not like the rest of the people he loved had done. If Danny was going to die in some unknown place in North Korea, he was going to do so fighting with nails and teeth just to hold Steve’s hand one more time, just to prove the idiot SEAL that he wasn’t alone.

And if that wasn’t prove enough of how strong Danny’s feeling truly were, then the fact that his heart made crazy jumps inside his chest just from watching Steve breath was.

The helicopter was landing where Kono was waiting for them; at that same moment Danny made a silent promise to never leave Steve again.


	2. Disappear

Not even in Seoul could they take Steve to a proper doctor to check on his injuries, not wanting to provoke unwanted questions that could lead to them admitting that they were more than a simple group in a humanitarian mission. Steve kept telling them that it was okay to wait until they were back at Oahu, the navy SEAL seemed to think that painkillers were enough to heal him. Needless to say, Danny’s anxiety was skyrocketing by the time they finally were in the island and depositing Steve in the capable hands of a doctor.

Danny was pacing like a dog inside a cage, restless and waiting outside of the room where a doctor was taking a look at Steve. Steve had prohibited Danny to be inside with him, knowing that he would be complaining and nagging to Steve the whole time.

“Brah, stop that. You are making me nervous” Kono grabbed Danny by the shoulder, forcing him to stop.

“Shit. Sorry” Danny ran a hand through his hair “I just can’t stand still”

“Looks like all the stress you have been holding has finally escaped” Kono gave him a sad smile “I really thought it was weird for you to be so calm during the mission”

“Guess I reached my limit, then” Danny returned the smile, knowing that he probably looked like a mad man.

“Listen, Danny. Go home. I’ll stay and wait for Steve” Chin, Joe and Lori had been dismissed by Steve, the SEAL clearly thinking that the crowd was unnecessary.

“No. You know I won’t do that” Danny waved a hand in the air “In fact, I _can’t_ do it, okay?” The detective didn’t even try to keep the desperation out of his voice, and Kono’s brown beautiful eyes seemed to understand the man’s feeling in a second, looking at him with a spark of realization.

“Danny don’t worry. What I mean to say is that you should go home and get everything ready for Steve, okay?” Kono squeezed Danny’s shoulder with fondness “I already guessed that you are going to stay with him until he gets better, so go and pack your things”

Without a word, Danny closed the distance and gave the native woman a big warm hug. Kono, Steve and Chin felt like home to him, no matter how much he tried to prove everyone that he hated the pineapple infested hellhole that was Hawaii. Just that hug from Kono, with the love and understanding that was poured into it, was enough to make Danny feel a little less tired and lost.

“Thank you, doll” Danny broke the hug, giving Kono a brotherly kiss on the cheek

“Don’t worry about it. I will ride Steve straight to you the moment he is allowed to leave”

Danny arrived at Steve’s less than an hour later, and there was no sign of Steve or Kono yet. The cop left his bag at the living room and began to prepare everything for Steve’s arrival; he knew that Steve wasn’t invalid, but he still was going to force the SEAL to rest. So, Danny took the groceries he had brought with him and made himself busy preparing a nice dinner that wasn’t the tasteless shit that Steve usually ate.

By the time Danny heard the door being opened, dinner was ready, the laundry was in the washing machine and he had changed the covers of Steve’s bed. Danny was setting the table when Steve stepped into the kitchen with an arm around Kono for support.

“Kono wasn’t kidding, you really are here” Steve smiled with amusement.

“No, Steven, obviously I’m still in North Korea” Danny rolled his eyes, using his sarcasm to suppress the urge to attack Steve with a rain of sloppy kisses all over his stupid handsome face, especially in that swollen spot at his cheekbone that was beginning to heal.

“Something smells good” Kono was sniffing the air the same way that a K-9 would do while detecting drugs.

“I made lasagna” Danny smiled with pride, putting the glove on and opening the oven while his teammate and his boss took a seat.

While they ate, Kono updated Danny with everything the doctor had told them. Danny wrote down the instructions and set an alarm on his phone for whenever Steve had to take his medicine.

“Danny, for god’s sake, you are overreacting” Steve was pouting like a child, his hazel eyes staving Danny’s notes “I’m fine. The doc said I only had to take a week of leave. I don’t need you to nurse me, man”

“And I’m not asking you for permission, Steve” Danny knew that Steve could take care of his physical health, but the detective’s main concern was his mental health. Of course, he knew that Steve wouldn’t accept such a reason for Danny to stay, so he decided to push the nurse route “You better get used to the idea, babe. You will have the privilege of having my exclusive attention for a week”

“Am I supposed to be happy about that?” Steve crossed his arms over his chest with a deep frown

“Yes, you schmuck”

“And where is your nurse uniform?” Steve smirked with mock

“Oh, I can get you one, Danny” Kono put in, not without a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows and a chuckle “I’m sure as hell you would look hot”

“First of all, I _always_ look hot” Danny pointed a finger at Kono “Secondly, no costume, MacGarrett, that is a special treatment you don’t deserve”

Steve laughed for the first time since they had come back from the rescue, and Danny’s chest filled with that intoxicating sound. He marveled at the way Steve’s eyes wrinkled, and Danny was so proud of himself for being the reason behind that little moment of happiness.

“Well, boys, is time for me to leave” Kono stood up, stretching her arms with a satisfied grunt “We will come visit during the week, and we will call to make sure you don’t kill each other”

“Call if there is a new case”

“Will do. Take care” Kono kissed them goodbye and left.

Danny washed the dishes and ushered Steve out of the kitchen, forcing him to sit like a good kid in the living room. When the blond was done, he joined Steve on the couch, making an effort at focusing at the movie that the SEAL was watching. Danny smiled when he noticed that the movie was The Dark Knight. The detective had to bite down his comment about how sexy he found Christian Bale.

Just when the movie reached the point where the Joker was being interrogated by Batman, Danny found his thoughts drifting away, suddenly aware of the situation. He was going to be with Steve for a week, and this wasn’t new, but the problem was in the fact that now Danny had fully admitted to himself that he was in love with his best friend. 

“So” Danny rubbed his hands, feeling a little nervous, which was something that had never happened before while being alone with Steve “How are we feeling?”

“ _We_ are feeling just fine, but I already told you that a gazillion times” Steve quirked up an eyebrow, shooting Danny a suspicious look “Okay, Danno. What’s up with you?”

“What’s up with what?” Danny asked without ungluing his eyes from the screen.

“It’s not the first time I’m injured, Danny, and you know that. And this is nothing compared to other things that I dealt with during service” Danny could feel Steve’s gaze, but he still refused to look at him, not wanting to show how he truly felt “So, I want to know why you are acting like this”

Danny remained silent, barely registering that he was gripping the hem of his shirt until his knuckles turned white.

“Danno? Are you okay?” Steve asked with concern.

“Just allow me to be here, please. I’m doing this for myself as much as I’m doing it for you. I _need_ to be here” Danny dared to face Steve, he needed to be clear, to make sure that Steve understood how important this was “I just can’t shake this feeling that if I’m not here you will leave again and disappear”

“Danny, I didn’t know” Steve looked down, his face morphing into a painful one that twisted Danny’s insides “I…”

“Just shut up” Danny avoided his gaze. He knew that he had practically just confessed his feelings, and he only hoped that the SEAL wasn’t clever enough to figure that out “Watch, here’s the part where Batman has to choose if he saves Rachel or Harvey”

“I imagine he goes for Rachel?” Steve answered after a few lingering seconds. Danny didn’t know if he was relieved or hurt by how Steve was easily letting go of the previous conversation.

“Watch the damn movie, you Neanderthal. I’m not going to tell you” 


	3. Cold

Danny knew when Steve had nightmares; he could hear the trashing and the whimpers. He still had the headphones that Steve had gifted him to avoid the noise of the ocean, but Danny avoided using them; he wanted to hear in case he needed to rush upstairs to help Steve. Besides, is not like Danny could manage any sleep on his own.

On his second night at Steve’s house, while he was staring at the ceiling thanks to his insomnia, a broken scream reached him from upstairs. Danny bolted out of the couch, gun in hand, and ran taking two steps at a time. He felt his blood pumping with adrenaline when he stepped inside Steve’s bedroom, and downed the gun when he registered that Steve wasn’t in danger. He was having another nightmare.

After leaving the gun in the nighstand, Danny got close, calling Steve’s name with a soothing voice. The moon was shining outside, and the detective could see the drops of sweat that damped the SEAL’s forehead, his body shaking with waves of shivers. Danny called for Steve again, reaching out and touching his face with softness. Steve jumped, eyes full of panic and horror, getting a hold of Danny’s wrist and twisting it painfully.

“Babe, it’s me, Danny” Danny spoke in a steady tone, fighting his instinct to fight the lock that immobilized his arm “It was a dream, Steve. I’m here. It’s fine, I’m here. I got you, babe”

Steve gasped, his hazel eyes finally focusing on the shorter man in front of him. He let go of Danny, covering his face with his trembling hands.

“Fuck, Danny. Sorry” Steve cleared his throat “I could have broken your wrist”

“But you didn’t” Danny sat on the bed, grasping Steve’s hands with tenderness and moving them away from his face “Look at me, Steve. I’m here”

The moment Steve looked up; Danny’s heart broke into a million pieces. Danny was used to watching a confident Steve that could walk into danger without flinching, but the Steve in front of him looked fragile and crushed.

“She was going to exchange me for her fiancé, Danny. No. She actually did. She knew I was going to die, and she still led me all the way to Wo Fat” Steve’s hands felt cold under Danny’s skin, just as cold as his voice “The worst part is that I can’t even blame her. I would have done the same. Who wouldn’t do it?” Steve laughed in a way that sounded more like a sob.

Danny cupped Steve’s hands inside his own, moving them to his lips and exhaling warmth into them. Danny did this a few times before he kissed Steve’s palms and squeezed tightly. Steve followed every movement with his eyes, finally resting them on Danny’s baby blues.

“I wouldn’t do it” he assured him without a trace of doubt.

“If they had Gracie…”

“If that happened, I would tell you and we would find a way to get her back. I know you, Steve; we would do everything possible to save her. But I would never use you like that, would never trade you”

“You don’t know that, Danny” Steve’s jaw tightened, and Danny once again kissed his hands, this time starting with the knuckles.

“I know. If something happened to Gracie, we would fight to get her back, together” Danny caressed Steve’s check, just where the gash left by Wo Fat was “I can’t lose you, okay?”

Steve’s eyes shone in the dark, a silence nod the only confirmation that he had understood what Danny had just told him.

“Good. Now try and go back to sleep, babe” Danny made an attempt to stand up, put Steve decided that now was the time to recover his strength and hold his hands like a lifeboat. Danny sighed; a smile full of love plastered on his face “If you are not letting me go, at least scoot over”

Steve did as he was told without any complaint, and Danny laid down beside the SEAL that trusted him enough to show him his vulnerable side. The Jersey detective pulled the covers over them, giving Steve’s hands a final sweet kiss. 


	4. Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I promise I'm working on more.   
> I wrote this one in the few moments I had in between panicking about all the essays and stuff I have to do. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like this special moments of Danny being a lovely mess of feelings

When Danny opened his eyes, Steve was nowhere to be found. Danny sighed with resignation. He would have loved to wake up to the view of a still sleeping Steve, bonus points if they were holding hands, but he knew that that was something he wasn’t allowed to witness.

To be honest, the blond detective was feeling nervous; the night before had been one full of feelings and revelations, and he wasn’t sure how Steve was going to react. Danny was more than afraid of the possibility that Steve decided he needed to put up his walls to avoid being vulnerable again. And it had been a hell of an effort to bring them down in the first place.

Danny stretched, making a titanic effort not to get lost in the warmth that remained where Steve had slept, and stood up. He was halfway down the stairs when the delicious smell reached him. Pancakes and coffee.

“Good morning” Steve turned to face him with a sheepish smile. Okay, at least he wasn’t avoiding Danny; so far that was a relieve.

“Hey, babe. Nice of you to make breakfast” Danny walked to the counter, grabbing two mugs and pouring them coffee.

“Well, I woke up early. I can’t go for a swim nor for a run, so I figured this was the only thing left” he answered with a shrug.

Danny took a sip of his beloved coffee, searching Steve’s face for any hints. He looked rested, at least more that the days before. He still had dark circles, but his hazel eyes looked alive and full of energy. If Steve wasn’t planning on mentioning the nightmare incident, and the consequence of them spending the night in the same bed, Danny wasn’t going to ruin this happy morning by being the one to bring it up.

“You know how I like my pancakes, Steve” Danny smiled, taking another sip. While Steve was finishing with the last pancakes, Danny sliced a couple of strawberries to go with the breakfast.

By the time Steve served the pancakes, the table was ready with the fruit and the syrup. They ate in silence, enjoying the small moments of domestic life that felt so normal and peaceful, as if they had done the same routine a million times before.

“It’s time for me to take a bath and get ready for work” Danny said when they were getting the empty dishes on the sink. He was sad to break the moment, but, unfortunately, they couldn’t live in a bubble “I’m already late”

“I’m sure your boss will understand” Steve answered with a shit-eating grin that Danny hated and loved at the same time

“In fact, my boss is an idiot. He won’t understand; he is too busy keeping his head stuck inside his ass” Danny sighed with feigned annoyance, walking to the living room and taking clean clothes from his bag.

“I’m sure he does that only to avoid listening to your bitching, Danny”

By the time Danny was crossing the glass doors at HQ, Chin, Lori and Kono were chatting around the smart table. The three of them turned to Danny with curious looks.

“Why are you here?” Lori was the first to ask.

“Because I work here?” Danny made a show of looking around, as he had arrived at a parallel dimension where he was a baker instead of a detective.

“I’m sure what Lori means is: why aren’t you with Steve?” Chin raised an eyebrow.

“You are kidding, right? You all do know I’m not the one injured?”

“Yes, we know. But you were so stressed and nervous about him that we just assumed you and him would be like glue during this week” Kono smiled at him with her all knowing look.

“And leave this boat to sink? No. That ain’t happening”

“Wow. Thanks for trusting us _that_ much, boss” Kono pretended to be hurt for a second, but Danny could see through it. Everyone knew that Kono was almost as crazy as Steve, and she would be the first to replace him in the reckless shot-everything behavior.

Chin only laughed, giving his cousin a pat on the shoulder “How’s Steve?” 

“He is…” Danny scratched the back of his neck, the images of the man damped in sweat after the nightmare and the one of him cooking pancakes mixing inside his head “He is doing his best”

“We will go visit tomorrow, if that’s okay with you two” Kono said “I mean, we don’t want to interrupt your married life” she added with a mischievous tone.

“The only thing you will be interrupting is your oxygen supply if you say something like that again” Danny rubbed at his temples. The jokes of Steve and him being an old married couple were a common theme, but now they somehow felt different. Danny couldn’t help but think that he was taking advantage of Steve’s situation, abusing his position as his partner and best friend only to push his feeling onto the other man.

Danny felt guilty and disgusting. It was as if his feeling were a way of betraying Steve. What would Steve think if he knew? Steve dared to be open about his fears with Danny, only for the cop to repay him with the treason of his unrequited love. What Steve needed was a friend, a partner, not a fool in love. Danny couldn’t risk it, not if there was a chance of Steve thinking that Danny was with him only with a secret interest in mind.

Kono seemed to read something in Danny’s expression, because she didn’t mention anything about the matter for the rest of the day. There wasn’t a new case, so the team spent the day doing paperwork and went home quite early. It was only five when Danny was back at Steve’s, a bag with Chinese takeout in hand.

Danny left the bag on the table and called for Steve, but there was no answered. Instinct told him that Steve was at the lanai, and he walked outside to join the brunette. Steve was sitting, staring at the ocean with a calm expression that softened his features. Danny sat next to him, not daring to speak until Steve did so.

“Thanks” Steve’s voice felt like a whisper, drowned by the song of the waves crashing against the sand.

“Why are you thanking me?”

“I don’t know” the SEAL shrugged “For being here, I guess. For everything, actually. I know I’m a complicated mess and that I’m not easy to deal with”

“I already told you, Steven, I’m here because I want to. In fact, if you tried to get rid of me, I would probably handcuff myself to you”

Steve laughed, the tension at his shoulders disappearing.

“I could totally see you doing something like that” Steve shook his head, turning his gaze towards Danny “But why?”

Danny’s heart began to beat a mile per minute, his brain drawing a map of all the possible answers he could give. In the end, he decided to tell half the truth, just enough that he could show a bit of feelings, but not too much to freak Steve out and cause a nuclear disaster.

“Because I care, you schmuck. I know you mock me for it, but I genuinely worry about your well-being and happiness, okay? You are one of the few good things that I have in my life, and I intend to help you in any way I can” Danny took a deep breath, studying the way Steve’s eyes dilated with the little speech “Besides, if something happens to you, I lose my main source of ranting material”

Steve’s answering smile was full of fondness, and Danny almost felt dizzy with all the emotions that Steve was trying to transmit with a single look. Danny knew Steve wasn’t good with words nor with feeling, let alone expressing his feelings with words, but Danny understood Steve’s gratitude only by looking at his face.

“Like I said, thank you” was all Steve said before returning his attention to the rhythmic movements of the waves.


	5. Ohana

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter for you!
> 
> I hope you like this wholesome moment with the ohana.

The next day, as promised, the rest of the team arrived with Max, Kamekona and a good amount of shrimp. Steve acted like the perfect host he always was, offering them beers and joking around. They settled at the lanai, happy to be together outside of work. Of course, Danny, playing his nurse role, didn’t allow Steve to drink any beer.

“It’s kind of funny, while Steve looks healthier, Danny looks on the edge of death” Chin joked, giving the detective an inquisitive look.

“He is like an evil witch; he feeds on my beauty and energy. At the end of the week I’ll turn to dust” Danny complained, well aware that it had become almost impossible for him to sleep since the day Steve had disappeared, and that the nights of insomnia where more than evident on his face. 

“In this fairytale, where is your prince charming, Danny?” Kono continued, an evil grin tugging at her lips

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe he is still looking for me in New Jersey” Danny casually commented, not even trying to lie and pretend he was as straight as an arrow.

“That so?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow

“Hey, believe it or not, back home I was quite the popular guy, okay?”

“You had men and women dying at your feet?” Lori laughed, taking a sip of her drink

“Laugh all you want, arseholes, but is the truth. Let me tell you, when I was in high school, I was the envy of all the school because the captain of the baseball team asked me out on a date” Danny said more than a little proud. He knew these people where his ohana, that they loved him and wouldn’t change the way they saw him only because he happened to like men as much as he liked women.

“Was he cute?” Lori asked

“Cute? Was he cute? Fuck no, he was _hot_. And a hell of a good kisser, mind you”

Steve almost spat the water he was drinking, and Danny smiled with the pleasure of causing such a surprised reaction. Chin began to pat the SEAL on the back, trying to help him overcome the coughing fit that got to him.

“Damn, brah, you are going to kill the poor man” Kamekona shook his head, reaching to grab another shrimp from the table

“Serves him right” Danny smiled, shaking Steve by the shoulder. The SEAL looked a bit baffled, but he didn’t look disgusted or alarmed, which was a good sign.

“I need to go pee” Steve stood up and disappeared inside the house.

“So, I was right?” Lori turned to Kono, giving the Hawaiian native a significant look.

“Of course, you are. We all know it. The only idiot that doesn’t know is Steve” Kono rolled her eyes, huffing with exasperation.

“Wow, stop right there, ladies” Danny lifted a hand, recovering the attention of the group “What is it exactly that Steve doesn’t know?”

“Brah” Chin leaned over the empty chair where Steve had been siting “About your… you know, your…”

“For fucks sake, Chin” Kono gave her cousin a smack on the back of the head “Your feelings for Steve”

Danny couldn’t help but laugh like a loon. He knew that he should be panicking or denying everything with a stern face, but he just couldn’t do it. The situation was ridiculous at best; he had only figured out his feelings a few days ago, but his goddamn friends seemed to know exactly what Danny was feeling even before himself. 

“Shit, is it that obvious?” he finally spoke, swiping away a tear and still laughing a little,

“I figured that you had romantic intentions toward your partner almost from the start, detective” Max answered with a confident nod.

“Sorry, Danny, but it was the only logical conclusion” Lori shrugged, smiling at him with empathy.

“Come on, brah, we are rooting for you” Chin smiled, lifting his beer bottle.

“Hell yeah we are. You are the only one that can tame the SEAL beast” Kono snorted, mimicking her cousin’s gesture.

“Oh my god. I’m so fucked” Danny buried his flushing face in one hand while he raised his bottle, everyone clinking their drinks in the most uncomfortable toast he had ever had.

“Why are we toasting?” Danny jumped, not looking up from the protection of his hand, the moment Steve returned to his seat “Danny?”

“Please, Steve, for the love of god, shut up” he whined, the whole group erupting with laughter.

“I haven’t done anything! Now why are you angry?” Steve complained.

“That, my friend, is exactly the problem” Kono said.

“What?”

Danny gasped dramatically, grabbing a balled napkin and throwing it in Kono’s direction.

“You are a wicked woman, Kono Kalakawa” Danny barked, flipping her the bird when she easily avoided the improvised projectile.

“Yes, she is evil, Danny. We would be here all night if I were to tell you all our childhood stories. This girl right here got me in a lot of trouble” Chin, the kind and precious Chin, pushed the conversation away from Danny.

“I once convinced him to help me do a talent show at school”

“And?” Danny asked, full of curiosity.

“Go on, cus, tell them” Kono snickered.

“She made me dress like a bunny… a sexy bunny”

“There are pictures, right?” Lori asked with a mischievous grin

“Oh, there are. I’m going to show them of on his wedding”

Kamekona laughed so hard that his chair tilted dangerously back.

After that, they cleaned the table and got the empty bottles to the trash. The guests began to leave, one by one, each of them wishing Steve a quick recovery. Kono and Lori made sure to shoot Danny a flirtatious wink of acknowledgment before heading out. Great, now Danny had his own pair of obnoxious cheerleaders. The blond was grateful to have such a supportive group of friends, but he still didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of throwing himself at Steve’s arms in hopes that the other man would happily catch him. Danny was the kind of person that tended to be negative, and he was scared of the scenario in which Steve would simply let him fall.

Steve remained silent while they did the dishes, and that caused a faint nervousness to surface under Danny’s skin. What if he had actually heard the conversation and only pretended not to in front of the rest?

“So, I was thinking…”

“What is it, babe?” Danny was putting away the forks, doing his best to ignore the alarms ringing inside his head.

“I think I could go for a swim tomorrow?”

That son of a bitch was going to give Danny a heart attack for sure.

“What? You are kidding. Are you insane? No, no. Don’t answer that; I _know_ you are insane. Are you deaf, Steven? The doctor said _one_ week of rest. It’s only been four days, you caveman schmuck”

“I’m not deaf, Danny. I was right there when he said it, unlike you. I feel fine, okay? A swim won’t kill me”

“Oh, I’m sorry” Danny squared his shoulders, hands on his hips “I totally missed the part where you became a doctor!”

“I know my body! I’m good enough to swim”

“And I don’t care! You are not swimming as long as I’m here to watch you” he said, punctuating each word with a wave of his hands.

“Excuse me? Are you giving me an order?”

“Did I hurt your superiority complex, Steven? Do you want a hug and a lollypop?”

“You are unbelievable, Danny” Steve began to pace around the kitchen with furious steps “Will it kill you to not be an ass for just a moment?”

“I don’t know, Steven. Will it kill you to listen to me, for a change?”

“What are you talking about?” Steve paused, staring at Danny with a frown “I listen to you”

“No, you don’t. You just pretend you do and then do whatever you want” Danny softened his voice “You can’t go for a swim, maybe you feel fine and dandy, but you need to allow your body to heal completely, okay? If you don’t, you will get worst and won’t get back on the field any time soon”

“I hate it so much when you are right” Steve pouted, and that made Danny relax and chuckle.

“Besides, the sooner you heal, the sooner you get rid of me” Danny said, only a hint of sadness in his voice.

“You know I don’t mind you being here, right? I like it, actually” and if that didn’t make Danny’s heart skip a beat.

“You do?” Danny asked with incredulity, arching his sandy eyebrows.

“Yes, I do. With you here, my laundry magically appears cleaned and folded. I mean, badly folded, but folded nonetheless”

“Is that really what they teach you at the army? How to fold your clothes with millimetric precision?” Danny knew the bite was lacking, and that he wasn’t hiding his smile. Maybe Steve wasn’t perfect, but he was doing his best to show Danny that he was happy with the shorter man’s company.

“Navy, Danny. And no, that’s not what they teach”

“Then stop complaining, Neanderthal. It’s not my fault that you are such a perfectionist”

That night, Steve had another nightmare. Just as the last time, Danny went upstairs to wake the commander up, but this time he was fast enough to dodge the SEAL’s vicious grip when he reached for him. After giving him a few calming words and repeating his routine of kissing his hands and stroking his face, without a word, Steve scooted over and made space for Danny. He didn’t question it; he simply shimmied his way inside the bed and held Steve tight against his chest. He dared to kiss Steve’s eyelids before focusing on the sounds of the brunet’s breath while falling back to sleep. 


	6. Hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on posting this today, but I have no self control anymore.

Danny saw the man hiding among the crowd. Their perp was wearing a hat and sunglasses, but those weren’t enough to hide the scar on his face.

“I see him” he talked to the comm “There is a lot of people here, so let’s avoid a gun fight, guys”

“Chin and I will reach from the other side” came Lori’s voice.

“Kono, try to keep him in sight, in case we lose him” he knew their sniper was somewhere above them, ready to tail their guy with her sharp eyes.

“You got it, boss”

Danny tried to act as a casual tourist in the area, swimming among the crowd that tried to decide what to buy from all the variety that the market offered. Their perp had his bag hanging from his shoulder, the one that Danny knew had a good deal of drugs ready to sell; the idiot was waiting for a buyer that was not going to arrive any time soon.

The Jersey detective was just a few steps away when the man turned and noticed something was wrong.

“Please don’t run. I beg you, don’t run” Danny muttered for himself with gritted teeth. But life had a tendency to hate Danny Williams, and so the perp decided to run in the opposite direction “Shit”

Danny dashed after the drug seller, having to jump over a pile of fruit boxes that the idiot had rudely pushed to obstruct the detective.

“I have a runner” Danny managed to say to the comm before turning left, following the perp into an empty street. The man, in his panicked state, dropped the bag behind him and introduced himself further inside an alleyway “Chin, Lori, get to the bag, quick” 

Danny turned at a sharp corner, breathing hard from the race. It felt weird to have this amount of adrenaline without Steve by his side, but now was not the time to think about that. They reached a dead end, no way for the man to escape now unless he turned into spiderman and began to climb the walls.

“Five 0, hands where I can...” Danny’s instincts warned him just in time to jump to the side, the bullet barely scratching his left bicep. Taking advantage of the inertia of his movement, he lunged forward, twisting the wrist of his quite terrified perp and forcing him to drop the weapon.

“Better luck next time, idiot” Danny took his handcuffs and secured them around the runner’s wrists.

“Book him, Danno” came Chin’s voice from behind him.

“You are hilarious, Chin. I’m sure your sense of humor is why Malia is marrying you”

“She actually loves my jokes­” Danny turned around and saw Chin’s smile disappear “What the hell happened to you, brah?

“What?”

“Your arm is bleeding” Lori gently moved Danny away and took his place at holding the perp.

“Fuck” Danny looked down; his perfect blue button-down shirt now full of blood at the sleeve. He knew the injury wasn’t that serious, since he could still move his arm and it wasn’t hurting that much, but the amount of blood made it look more serious than it actually was “I keep losing good shirts in this goddamn job”

“Here’s what we are going to do, Kono will take you to the doc while Lori and I book this asshole”

“Kono?” Danny whispered to his comm.

“Already on my way to fetch ya, I saw what happened”

“Always the resourceful one”

Just as Danny had thought, he only needed a few stitches. He was good enough to joke with the nurse during the procedure, whining about how he hated running almost as much as getting shot at.

“What about surfing, then?” she had asked while fastening the bandage around his arm.

“Don’t even get me started on that one, sweetheart. Surfing and swimming are two things that I will never understand. Do I have fins? No, of course I don’t. Then why in the word would I ever want to be in the water?”

The nurse shook her head and laughed, putting the security clip and making sure everything was fine.

“Good thing, then, you are a cop and not a sailor”

“Yeah, I guess. But I much definitely would rather be rich and do nothing but eat all day” he assured her while reaching for his clean t-shirt. It was kind of funny, really, how he now carried spare clothes around in the trunk of the Camaro for situations like this.

“That’s everyone’s dream, detective. But until that happens, take care of that body of yours” she said with a playful wink.

“Will do” he answered with a smile before heading out.

To Danny’s surprise, he found a really agitated Steve waiting for him. The moment the SEAL saw him, his eyes shone with relieve. Steve took two long steps before stopping in front of Danny, their bodies almost touching, and the brunet scanned Danny’s body from head to toe, looking for visible injuries.

“Where is Kono?” Danny gulped to get past the knot in his throat, the weight of Steve’s gaze making him feel weak on the knees.

“I told her to go back to HQ”

“And why are you here?”

“Chin called me” Steve sighed, touching with the tips of his fingers at the swollen and reddish skin that the bandage wasn’t covering. Danny felt a sting of pain, but he refrained the need to flinch, instead enjoying the feathery touch of Steve’s calloused fingers. A shiver ran down his spine when Steve’s hand stroke down his arm with softness before pulling away. 

“No need to worry, babe. It barely hurts”

“Yeah. It just angers me that I wasn’t there, that’s all” Steve avoided his gaze, and Danny smiled with fondness. Steve sometimes acted like the sweetest dork on earth, and that wasn’t good for Danny’s heart.

“Hey, it’s not your fault” Danny elbowed Steve’s side to soften the mood of the taller man “Let’s go home, babe”

Steve had fetched a taxi on his way to the hospital, so he took his assigned place on the driver’s seat in the Camaro on their way to Steve’s house. Once there, they ordered pizza and ate while watching a cartoon show that Grace really loved, and Danny was trying to understand.

“Wasn’t the fire guy the villain? Why is he with them now?” Danny asked, pointing a finger to the screen.

“He redeemed, Danny” Steve answered, clearly into the show.

“But he was evil! Did the bald kid just forgive him and that’s it?”

“Have you been watching at all? Gracie is going to be disappointed” Steve said with disapproval.

“Don’t you dare play the bad father card on me, Steven. I will cry, ugly cry, and then I will punch your ass into oblivion” Danny turned his body to Steve, completely ignoring the TV now.

“You can’t punch me Danno, you are injured” Steve crossed his arms over his chest, full of confidence.

“Wanna bet, pretty boy?” Danny lifted his arms in a boxing guard position, making a few jabs in the air before he felt the sharp pain pulling at his bicep “Fuck. Your stupidity is contagious” Danny hissed.

“You always find the way to blame me, don’t you?” Steve rolled his eyes before standing up and going upstairs.

“Thanks, Steven, you are really helpful” Danny shouted over his shoulder. Steve’s answer didn’t reach him.

A few minutes passed before Steve was back, a clear bottle on his hand.

“Take your shirt off”

“Damn, cowboy, you move fast” Danny joked, complying anyways because, how was he supposed to say no?

“Turn around and shut up, Danny” Steve manhandled the man in a way that made Danny’s body spark with excitement, that line alone having the potential of becoming wet dream material.

With his back towards Steve, he heard the cap of the bottle being opened and his body tensed. Steve’s hands rested against his shoulders, the oily feeling spreading on his skin the moment Steve started drawing circles with his fingers.

“You will feel better after this” Steve promised, his hands sliding down on his back.

“I’m supposed to be the one taking care of you” Danny talked, unconsciously closing his eyes when Steve pressed down deliciously.

“We take care of each other, Danny. That’s what we do” Steve’s breath felt too close and warm, causing a wave of goosebumps all over Danny’s body.

Steve applied more pressure over a difficult spot, and Danny’s brain wasn’t fast enough to hold down the moan that escaped from his lips. Steve never paused, mercilessly attacking the knots all over his back and shoulders, a tortuous combination of pleasure and pain.

“Fuck, Steve. Just quit already and open your own massage parlor” Danny’s voice was rough and heavy, his body beginning to relax in a way that seemed almost magical.

“That won’t do, Danny” Steve chuckled “You won’t survive Five-0 without me”

“Then teach me your techniques and we can open our parlor together” Danny hummed. He was in such a pleased state of mind, that he even missed his chance of complaining about how he was shot twice as much with Steve by his side.

“Sounds like a solid plan to me” Steve gave him a final squeeze before breaking the touch and leaning back, giving Danny enough space to turn and face him.

“Shit, that was good” Danny smiled like a goof. The sensation reminded him of those times he got high in college, his body floating in the endorphins of the massage and Steve’s touch “Thanks, babe” before he could stop himself, he leaned in and brushed his lips against Steve’s own, the fleeting ghost of a kiss.

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Danny’s baby blues searched Steve’s shocked face with a growing panic. He had felt too comfortable to worry about his self-control. He had fucked it up for sure. How was he going to explain to Gracie that she wasn’t allowed to visit uncle Steve anymore? He had to call Duke and see if he could go back to HPD. Shit, way to lose your job, Williams.

“Glad I could help” came the ridiculous simple answer.

It took everything in Danny’s body not to crumble. Steve had a confused smile on him, his head tilted to one side like a dog hearing something far away.

“Yeah” was all Danny could muster with his single living neuron.

Steve’s moves only faltered a little when he stood up. The SEAL cleaned his hands in the hem of his t-shirt, wished Danny goodnight, gave him a weird smile and went upstairs as fast as he could without actually running.

That was another sleepless night for Danny Williams.


	7. Touch

“I told you about it!” Danny shouted at the phone “Don’t you dare blame me, Rachel. It’s not my fault that you forgot to tell Gracie”

He hated how Rachel did whatever she pleased, not caring on the least if Danny was busy or not. He had told her that this week he couldn’t have Grace, but Rachel had decided to conveniently forget about it, and now Gracie couldn’t understand why Danny wasn’t there to pick her up.

It was too early for Danny’s brain to function properly. Rachel’s call had woken him up, the voice of his complaining ex-wife the last thing he wanted to hear. He had been shot just the day before, and now he had to deal with this fiasco. Just perfect.

“Do you really need to be so loud this early?” Steve’s sleepy voice startled him.

Danny turned around and aggressively gestured to the phone he was holding, Rachel's never-ending speech perfectly audibly even when she wasn’t on speaker.

“For the love of… just go and pick Grace, okay?” Steve said while shaking his head “Bring her here”

“You sure?” Danny mouthed with a raised sandy eyebrow.

“Yeah, man. Bring her, she’ll love the beach” Steve assured him over his shoulder while he went back upstairs.

Danny smiled, pulling the phone close to his ear to calmly inform Rachel that he would be there in an hour.

Grace almost fell face first into the sand in her attempt to get as fast as possible in the water. Steve laughed, jogging beside her and holding her hand.

The image was way too perfect; Danny almost went blind with the force of the cuteness in front of him. He saw how Steve picked Gracie up and kissed her on the head while the girl giggled. When the SEAL and his baby girl started to splash water at each other, the detective went inside the house, setting his mind to do something else before he began to tear up.

An hour had passed when he was back at the lanai, holding a tray with three glasses of lemonade and two towels tucked under his arm. He called out to the laughing pair that was now finishing their sandcastle.

“You are having fun, monkey?” Danny surrounded his girl with the towel, taking to chance to give her a big hug.

“I like it here” she said with a big smile, taking her glass and enjoying the sweetness of her fresh drink.

“You are welcome to come visit any time, Gracie” Steve took the towel that Danny was offering and began to dry his hair. Danny had to focus on holding his own glass to avoid staring at the way Steve’s tattoos danced when his biceps flexed. Steve’s body had almost no trace left of the bruises he had acquired at North Korea. 

“Can we come again, Danno? Pretty please” Gracie knew that Danny was weak to those big pleading eyes.

“Okay, fine. As long as we don’t bother Steve” Danny ruffled Grace’s hair, the salty drops falling everywhere.

“You are the best, Danno” Gracie hugged him, melting his heart. He didn’t care that his t-shirt and shorts ended up wet. The girl pulled out of the hug and ran to Steve and repeated the gesture “You are also the best, Uncle Steve”

“We can’t both be the best” Danny complained in a dramatic voice “You better make up your mind, young lady”

Grace’s answer was a giggle, and Danny huffed and lounged forward into a tickle attack. Steve, the loyal Superman, went in her rescue, surrounding Danny with his arms and lifting the shorter man from the ground.

“Let go off me, animal” Danny trashed against his hold with little conviction, not wanting to open his wound and taking it as a good excuse to feel the wall of muscle that was Steve McGarrett against his back.

Steve’s laugh echoed through his body, the vibrations being the perfect company to the huffs of air that ruffled Danny’s hair. The blond’s stupid brain decided that now was a good time to imagine other scenarios where he could feel the SEAL’s breathing on his neck.

“I hate you” Danny grumbled when his feet where back on land, his hands going on instinct to fix his hair.

“No, you don’t” Steve smirked. Danny wanted to punch him and kiss him afterwards.

_Kiss him_.

He had been so lost in his little paradise with Gracie and Steve that Danny had forgotten about the whole thing. And, when he thought about it, part of why he had forgotten was because Steve was acting as if nothing had happened.

Steve was the kind of person that would push Danny to his limits when the commander wanted to know something; he had gone as far as interrogating him about his lunch like it was the most important information on earth. It made cero sense that Steve was this casual about the kiss. Yes, Danny had to admit that it had barely counted as a kiss, but it was still something that definitely crossed the friendship boundaries.

Was Steve just brushing it off as an accident? There was no going back, Danny’s anxiety was poking his ugly face.

They went back inside, and Steve and Grace changed into dry clothes. Grace took a board game out of her backpack and forced the men to play with her. Danny lost two times in a row; he was doing his best to concentrate but he couldn’t stop thinking about Steve. His detective brain tried to link everything that had happened; Steve didn’t look disgusted after the kiss, he only acted confused, and now he was playing happy family with him and his daughter. Nothing made sense. 

It was seven o’ clock when Rachel arrived to pick up Grace, not holding in her comment about the old married couple finally living together. Gracie gifted Danny and Steve a loud kiss on the cheek before taking her things and going with her mom.

“She looks happy” Steve remarked, closing the door behind them.

Danny nodded in agreement, giving his back to Steve and pacing aimlessly in the living room. This was his last day staying at Steve’s, the SEAL was ready to go back to work on Monday, and Danny wasn’t needed there anymore. Danny knew he had the option of keeping his mouth shut and finish this thing on a friendly note; but shutting up just wasn’t Danny William’s style.

“Why are you acting so normal, Steven?” Danny finally spoke, his serious voice making the mood of the room change, all the happiness that Grace had left completely gone.

“What are you talking about?” Steve crossed his arms over his chest and squared his shoulders.

“Don’t play dumb, pal” Danny’s hands where now on their usual state of movement “Or are you dumb enough to not even recognize a kiss? For the record, Steven, _that_ was a kiss. I didn’t slip into your stupid mouth. And while I’m here hyperventilating, you just act as if kissing was our everyday thing. Why are you looking at me like that? For fuck’s sake, say something!”

Steve looked amused, and that was something that only managed to annoy Danny even more. Here he was, a complete mess while Steve managed to look perfectly entertained. He all of a sudden remembered why he had hated the SEAL when they met for the first time.

Steve smiled, closing the distance between them in two long steps. Danny gasped when his partner’s hands reached to hold his face, the rough fingers caressing his stubbled jaw.

“I know what a kiss is, Danny” he whispered before leaning in, his lips clashing against Danny’s without further warning.

There was no doubt that this one was an actual kiss. Steve kissed the same way he did everything else, with full force and ardor. It was not sweat nor tender, the urge to touch and feel each other was bigger than anything else. Danny nipped Steve’s bottom lip, putting his hands on the other man’s hips to steady himself. Steve, not waiting any longer, parted Danny’s lips with his tongue, demanding entrance.

It didn’t take long for the kiss to turn heated and lustful, both of them pouring themselves into the contact. Danny hissed when one of Steve’s hands tangled in his blond locks, pulling lightly and breaking the kiss. Steve towered over Danny, pushing him backwards until his back was against the wall.

The SEAL viciously attacked Danny’s neck, kissing and licking while Danny cursed with delight. Steve’s hands were roaming over Danny’s chest and stomach, going further down until he reached the elastic of his shorts. Steve pulled back just enough to question Danny with his eyes, looking for his permission.

“Hurry up, schmuck” Danny growled. He was already hard just from the kissing, and he could feel Steve’s erection pressing against him, turning him on even more.

Steve chuckled, dipping his expert fingers under the shorts and the boxers. Danny almost convinced himself that he was in a dream; this morning he had woke to the screams of his ex-wife, and now he had Steve McGarrett’s hand on his dick, brushing the head with a tortuous softness that made him whine.

Danny wasn’t one to go down without a fight; he began to pull Steve’s pants down as fast as he could, an electrifying shiver running down his spine when he heard the first moan leaving Steve’s throat.

They jerked each other off with a matching rhythm, with no other lube but their precum. Danny noticed that Steve thrusted forward every time Danny twisted his wrist at the crown, and he made sure to repeat the movement each time his hand went back up. Danny could feel his climax building with every stroke from Steve, but he refused to let go until he pushed Steve over the edge. Danny reached down with his other hand, grabbing Steve’s balls and massaging them while he repeated his new learned trick a final time, rubbing his thumb over the slit for a bonus. Steve trembled under his touch, coming undone with a rain of curses, his pearly liquid filling Danny’s palm.

The sight was what did it for Danny, he just couldn’t handle the way Steve parted his lips and moaned his name, closing his eyes while Danny milked him. He was a few strokes away from reaching his own climax.

“Fuck. Steve. I love you” he blurted out without thinking

“What?” Steve’s voice was hoarse with the afterglow, but that wasn’t enough to hide the alarm in his question. Steve’s hand stopped, his hazel eyes examining Danny in a way that made his blood run cold.

Danny pushed Steve away from him, reaching down with trembling hands and pulling his underwear and his shorts up in a haste. He didn’t even care that his hand was sticky with Steve’s release, all he wanted was to run away from those piercing eyes. He suddenly understood what the criminals felt when they encountered Steve.

Steve didn’t move when Danny walked to the couch and began to toss his stuff inside his bag in a hurry. The detective didn’t bother checking if all his belongings were there. It was time to go. He strapped the bag on his shoulder, took his keys, his phone and his gun and ran out the door, shouldering past the half-naked silent figure of Steve.

His hands didn’t stop trembling during his ride home. When he stopped the engine, a sharp sob startled him, and it took him a few seconds to notice it was his own. There were no tears, only sobs and his broken breathing. He knew the anxiety attack would pass after a few minutes, but that didn’t make it any better. He seized the steering wheel with a vice grip; the painful felling anchoring him to reality.

When he was calm enough, he got inside his trashy apartment, tossing the bag on the floor and heading straight to the shower. He tried to fool himself into thinking that the warm water could wash away the awful feeling that was punching him in the stomach.


	8. Words

Danny’s Sunday had gone in a blur; he kept himself busy, tidying up his filthy apartment as best he could. He went as far as going out for a run; breaking a sweat under the hot Hawaiian sun was much better that staying trapped inside with his turbulent thoughts. Steve didn’t call nor texted him, and Danny was in a way glad; he needed time for himself, to get his feelings in order.

No matter how much he feared it, Monday morning arrived. He got ready, preparing himself for what he was planning to do. Danny tried to practice in front of the mirror, schooling his stern and serious face, but he couldn’t stand how empty and fake his blue eyes looked when they stared back at him.

When he arrived at the office, his tired face was the only sign that something was wrong with him. The moment he opened the glass doors, Kono’s voiced reached him.

“I can’t believe you!” she was frowning at Steve, scolding him like a mother that just discovered her son broke her favorite vase.

Steve looked baffled and annoyed, and he was about to answer something when they noticed that Danny was standing there, holding his coffee. Chin was leaning against the smart table, a hand covering his eyes, while Lori all of a sudden found her shoes really interesting.

“Good morning” Danny smiled at them, willing the muscles on his face to relax “You seem quite energetic today”

“Danny, good morning” Kono shot him a crooked smile. Steve mumbled something that barely resembled a greeting and an excuse and ran straight to his office.

“Okay, Kono, if you were trying to pretend you don’t know what happened, you are doing badly, doll. Remind me to never send you undercover again”

“I swear, Danny, if he wasn’t my boss, he would be three feet underground by now”

“I would help for sure” Chin agreed.

Danny gave them a genuine smile. He had hated Hawaii with a passion since the moment the island became a monster that wanted to steal his daughter, but now he loved the place for the simple fact that it gave him a family.

He rubbed his hands together, gathering his courage.

“Thank you, guys, I know. But now I need to fix this, okay?”

“Please Danny, don’t do something stupid” Chin begged

“I’m not going to jump in front of a buss” Danny rolled his eyes.

“Whatever happens, brah, we are here” Kono approached him, giving him an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder.

“In that case, please leave your schedule open for tonight. I’m sure as hell I will need a drink”

Danny straightened his back, stretching his neck to one side and then the other, as if he was getting ready to fight a bear instead of having a talk with his partner. There was no point in delaying this conversation, he was as ready as he would get. He had been thinking about how to proceed; he could avoid Steve, but that would cause a big problem with their job. His only option left was to pull a McGarrett and face the danger without blinking.

Danny walked towards the SEAL’s office, feeling the eyes of his friends stabbing his back. He didn’t bother to knock on the door, not wanting to give Steve any chance to run away. Steve had his elbows braced on the desk; his face hidden behind his hands.

“Not now” the brunet muttered against his palms.

“Yes, now” Danny replied, closing his arms over his chest.

Danny saw how Steve’s muscles tensed when he heard his voice; the SEAL had clearly been expecting anyone but Danny to appear in his office. He slowly lifted his face, exposing a pained expression that made it really difficult for Danny to not break down right there.

“Don’t say anything, Steve. Let me talk” Danny held his hands up, just in case Steve all of a sudden turned into someone who wanted to talk about actual human feelings “Listen, I know that what I did was wrong; I forced my feeling into you. Maybe you were simply being nice to me, or you had a lot of pent up energy and I was your closest option. I don’t know and don’t want you to tell me, really. I just don’t want this to ruin our team. My feelings are my own, and I will deal with them; you don’t need to worry”

Danny finished with a heavy sigh. It wasn’t that bad; at least he wasn’t crying on the floor like a lovesick baby. He managed to control his trembling hands and maintain a neutral expression; that had to be good enough.

“Danny…”

“No. Please. All I want you to know is that I’m not leaving you, okay? I’m staying. I don’t need your pity. And I swear to god, Steven, if you act different around me, I will punch you in the face”

Danny finished with a little more confidence, pointing a finger at Steve. The SEAL’s expression became something that Danny couldn’t decipher, a mixture of confusion and regret. Steve stood up, hands on the desk, ready to give his answer, when Chin knocked on the door before poking his head.

“Sorry to interrupt” Chin smiled apologetically “Max just called; we have a body waiting for us”

Danny clapped his hands, nodding and going back to the rest of the team. He felt a little better after his one-sided talk; now it was Steve’s turn to decide what to do.

After talking with the victim’s family, there was not much to do until Max got the results of the DNA they found at the crime scene. As promised, Danny made plans with Kono, Chin and Lori to go drinking that night; the Jersey detective had managed to be as close to normal as possible around Steve, but he really needed a moment to just bent and have fun with his friends. He felt a little guilty about not inviting Steve to their ohana night out, but Danny really needed the space.

He decided that a black t-shirt and dark jeans were good enough to go to their usual bar. He wasn’t planning on flirting with anyone, maybe next time; right now, the wound was way too fresh to even try.

“Danny!” Kono waved her hand to get his attention.

Danny sat next to Kono in the booth. The bar was almost empty, after all, it was only Monday, but there were enough people drinking and chatting to create a nice comfortable atmosphere.

After the second beer, Danny was already making his usual jokes and telling stories about his beautiful Gracie. He also took the chance to tease Chin a few times about his weeding, warning him with a playful tone about the dangers of having a wife. The problem was that, whenever he made a sarcastic remark, the smartass comment that usually came afterwards was missing. He unconsciously turned again and again, waiting to see that goofy smile on Steve’s face; there was no banter, no electricity traveling back and forth whenever they argued. Steve wasn't there. 

“Okay, time to go” Kono stood, dragging Danny by the arm and forcing him out of his seat.

“What? Where? It’s too early and I’m not drunk yet” Danny complained.

To his surprise, Lori and Chin were standing up already, neither of them questioning Kono’s decision of leaving.

“We want to check out a new place” was Lori’s answer when Danny questioned her with a look.

“I wanted to have a moment of healthy self-pity, not go on a tourist tour” Danny rubbed his eyes with his hands.

“You will like it, I promise” Kono assured him with that bright smile that Danny knew almost always meant trouble. 

“If you take me to a strip club, I’m gonna get pissed” Danny warned. When he and Rachel divorced, some of his Jersey friends had the crazy idea that the best way to improve his mood was to sit him in front of dancing girls and throw money at them.

“Nothing like that, brah. Malia would kill me for sure” Chin chuckled.

Danny couldn’t find the strength in him to fight his friends, so he just followed like the good heartbroken boy he was. He wasn’t planning on getting blasted, but Danny had taken a cab to the bar anyways, because he was sure as hell going to have some beers. So, once inside Kono’s car, he was at her mercy, no way to escape whatever she had in mind.

“Kono, you are a beautiful woman, but I really…” Danny began when Kono came back from her talk with the receptionist with a keycard on her hand.

“I’m not seducing you, dummy” Kono laughed, taking the key out of Danny’s reach when he tried to grab it.

“Then enlighten me, sweetheart. Why are we at the Hilton? And where the fuck are Chin and Lori? If what you wanted was a sleepover, I’m sure we could have it at a cheaper place” Danny was waving his hands in the air like trying to scare an annoying mosquito.

“Danny, relax” Kono rolled her eyes, giving Danny a pat on the cheek and earning an irritated look from the detective “Chin and Lori are fetching us beers. We have everything planned, come on, let’s go to our room”

The higher the elevator went, the more nervous Danny got. He didn’t like being in the dark, not even if it was a weird surprise that his friends had to cheer him up. Going as far as booking a room at the Hilton just to help an emotionally unstable friend was something that Danny couldn’t understand.

“The fucking Ali’s Suit? You are kidding. No. This can’t be real” Danny’s brain was about to burst.

“Danny, stop” Konno opened the door, pushing a rambling Danny inside.

“Oh” Danny fell completely quiet when his eyes registered the man that was waiting for him in the middle of the room. Steve was wearing a button up white shirt with navy blue slacks and a matching blazer. The SEAL looked stunning and surreal, and Danny felt the need to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t unconscious in the bar they had been before.

“I’m a great undercover agent, Danny” Kono giggled behind him before closing the door.

Danny tuned towards the door like an idiot, almost waiting for Chin, Kono and Lori to burst inside while laughing and announcing that the whole situation was a joke and this man was Steve’s lost twin brother.

“Danny” Steve’s voice sounded way too real. The way he was calling Danny’s name was shy and careful, the same tone they used when they were trying to calm a victim.

Danny turned around to look at the SEAL that was causing him headaches since day one. The guy was so handsome it hurt, but he also looked nervous in a way that Danny had never seen before.

“Hi, I guess” Danny began, hiding his hands inside his pockets.

“Hi” Steve gave him a timid smile.

“Would you mind telling me what is going on?” Danny tried so sound casual, but the slight shake of his voice gave him away.

“I wanted to surprise you” Steve shrugged, his shoulders stiff as cardboard.

“That you did, I assure you” Danny couldn’t help but laugh a little “You convinced the others to help you?”

“I kind of didn’t ask. I’m their boss, you know?”

“Oh, back at the dictatorship, I see” Danny smiled with fondness. He still wasn’t sure of what exactly was happening, but the jokes made him feel almost normal.

“But seriously, Danno, I just want to talk with you”

“And you had to book a suit at the Hilton for that?” Danny raised an eyebrow, a thousand questions haunting his head.

“I thought it was best to chat in neutral ground” Steve explained

“Neutral ground? Are we at war?”

“Danny, please” Steve’s shyness was transforming in irritation, clearly not happy with the cop’s attitude “I’m trying to do something nice”

“Nice?” that was it. Danny had swallowed his shame and pride this morning and gave Steve a chance to keep things easy, but this was just too much “Nice, you say. What did you expect, Steve? Do you really think you can drag me here and fix everything? I’m not going to fall straight into your arms and beg you to fuck me, if that’s what you think. Let me tell you, right now, that the friends with benefits thing is not my style”

“Shut up. Could you shut up for once?” Steve had his aneurism face on, walking around the room with his hands on his hips.

“No, apparently I can’t shut up, Steven. If I fucking knew how to shut up, we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place. I just had to go and open my big fucking mouth and blurt that _thing_ out”

“Stop” Steve was staring at him, his hazel eyes almost pleading him to come back from the dark place he was in. The thing is, once Danny started talking, he couldn’t stop, all the things he had been holding under control so far were now exploding in his face.

“You have no idea how embarrassed I was. No fucking idea how I felt. Why would you kiss me and touch me if it meant nothing? I was happy just being by your side, doing my best to be your friend and partner. No. It was my fault. Fuck, it was my fault”

Danny’s anger was a combination of self-hatred and sadness. There was no point in being there, staring at the man he loved so deeply, only making himself suffer and breaking their friendship one word at a time. He needed to leave. Danny turned around, heading for the door, not even knowing how he would get back home.

“I love you” Steve’s voice was a whisper, a secret that was only meant for Danny.

“What did you just say?” Danny halted, not daring to look back.

“I love you, Danny” he heard Steve’s feet move against the floor, getting closer.

“You don’t owe me anything, Steve. You don’t have to say it just because I did”

Steve’s strong hands held him by the shoulders, turning his body toward him. The taller man grasped Danny’s face with tenderness, like a bird that could escape in fear at any second. His eyes were a storm of colors, always changing; but in them Danny saw the truth. Words were something complicated to Steve McGarrett, but he had learned how to say everything to Danny with a single look. Maybe, if Danny had stopped to look into them the night before, he would have discovered that the SEAL had a universe painted on them, one that belonged to a short blond from Jersey.

“I love you” Steve repeated once more, resting his forehead against Danny’s.

“Neanderthal” Danny said without his usual bite, raising his hands and placing them around Steve’s neck.

“You know the words to my heart, Danno” Steve giggled, leaving a soft kiss on Danny’s nose.

“Animal” Danny continued; for once, he found nothing else to say.

“I know” Steve leaned in, his lips brushing Danny’s mouth with a butterfly touch “Let’s go to bed, Danny”

“Is this one of Smoothdog’s moves?” Danny chased after Steve’s mouth, not really complaining about the development of the situation.

“No, Danny. As much as I would like to melt you under my fingers, don’t think I haven’t noticed the dark circles under your eyes” Steve ran his hands down Danny’s back, causing shivers on the shorter man.

“The dark circles are part of my charm”

“You ain’t fooling me, Williams. When was the last time you had a good night of sleep?” Steve stepped back, hands still on Danny, to take a better look at the detective.

“Seriously?” Danny huffed, but Steve didn’t budge “Before the North Korea thing” 

“You can’t be serious” Steve grabbed Danny by the wrist and hauled him to the master bedroom – Danny almost squeaked when he noticed how ridiculously big it was – and unceremoniously began to undress Danny.

“What the fuck, Steven?” Danny halfheartedly complained, lifting his arms anyway when Steve ordered him to do so.

“You, my friend, are going to sleep”

“You say the sexiest things, babe” but Steve didn’t find the sarcasm amusing, to busy yanking Danny’s jeans down “I dreamed about this _a lot_ , but now you are ruining it”

Steve’s eyes sparkled at the mention of the dreams, but his mission right now was to safely deliver Danny Williams into the realm of sleep, and the SEAL didn’t intend to fail.

Steve undressed as well, just as fast and with no show whatsoever, to Danny’s dislike, and just as efficiently got them under the covers of the colossal bed. He hugged Danny tightly, resting his head against the blond’s shoulder and kissing the spot a few times with a reverence that, if standing, would have Danny on his knees.

“Good night, Danno” Steve murmured, burying his nose in the crock of Danny’s neck and inhaling deeply.

“Good night, babe”

For the first time in a while, Steve and Danny had a peaceful night of sleep.


	9. Out loud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far :)

Danny woke up against warmth, Steve’s limbs covering him like a clingy octopus. The detective sighed with contentment, feeling rested and at peace. He still planned to scold Kono, Chin and Lori the next time he saw them, but it was going to be only at half William’s power.

A pleased groan escaped Danny’s lips when a soft mouth left the first kiss on the back of his neck.

“I just realized we went to bed without even brushing our teeth” Danny mumbled, feeling Steve laugh against his skin.

“Good morning to you too, Danny” Steve stretched his body like a cat, and Danny immediately missed the SEAL’s body around him.

Steve made an attempt to get out of bed, but Danny reacted on instinct and rolled on the bed to cover Steve like a blond human blanket. Danny smiled at the surprised brunette, leaning down to capture his lips.

“I thought you wanted me to brush my teeth?” Steve asked, resting his hands on Danny’s hips.

“I mean, your morning breath is horrendous. Lucky for you, I’m a brave man and can deal with it for now”

“You are so kind, Danny. You act as if your morning breath doesn’t taste like shit”

“Does it?” Danny asked, not really expecting an answer and nipping Steve’s lower lip.

Their kisses were slow and delicious; they wanted to take their time and learn what the other liked. After Danny parted his lips, Steve was quick to discovered that the shorter man enjoyed when Steve’s tongue caressed the roof of his mouth. Danny, on the other hand, was rewarded with a low grunt when he sucked Steve’s tongue.

Steve’s hold on Danny’s hips became rougher, and only then was Danny conscious that he had been moving and rubbing his clothed erection against Steve’s. The detective straightened himself, straddling Steve and bracing his hands against his lover’s chest. Steve was about to complain about the kissing stopping when he got interrupted with the way Danny began a rhythm over him, mercilessly dry humping his partner.

“You are a sadist” Steve said with a strained voice, his breathing getting louder. He needn’t check to know that his boxers were already stained with precum.

“Not really” Danny smirked, lowering one of his hands until he reached the waistband of Steve’s underwear. He stopped moving his hips, focusing instead on getting the boxers off Steve.

Once the annoying cloth was discarded on the floor, he readjusted his body to fit in between Steve’s legs, lowering his face and nuzzling the dark hairs that trailed the commander’s Adonis’ belt. Steve squirmed under him when his tongue finally reached the base of his cock, licking his way up over the popping vein.

“You look so hot” Steve dug his fingers in Danny’s hair, baby blues and hazel eyes locked together while Danny’s mouth torturously engulfed the head of Steve’s shaft.

Danny swirled his tongue over the slit, tasting Steve’s precum and spreading it over the crown. Steve tugged almost painfully at his hair, and Danny’s moan triggered a chain of curses and shivers from his partner. Encouraged by how much Steve was enjoying this, Danny relaxed his throat and took Steve deeper inside of him, one of his hands reaching for Steve’s testicles and massaging them just as he had done last time.

His jaw was already aching, but the moment he started bobbing his head and heard how Steve called his name with passion, he decided that the pain was worth it. Danny kept on moaning, aware that the vibrations would get Steve to the edge, if he was reading his reactions well.

“Fuck. Danny, stop” Steve held him by the shoulders, lifting him from his busy work. Danny licked his lips with a mischievous look, noticing how Steve’s eyes became even darker with lust “You are dangerous”

“Says the man who tries to kill me every day” Danny laughed before he felt his center of gravity shift underneath him, his world turning until Steve was hovering on top of him.

“Shut up” Steve kissed Danny with hunger, fucking his mouth with his tongue and making Danny’s toes curl.

“I hate you” Danny panted when the kiss broke.

“You love me” Steve smiled, pinching Danny’s ass and forcing him to lift his hips to take his boxers off.

“Yeah, I do” Danny admitted, kissing Steve’s stubbled jaw all the way down to his neck.

“I want you, Danny” Steve murmured, pumping Danny’s dick with unhurried strokes that made Danny lift his ass again, looking for more.

“I’m not going anywhere, babe. Take me” Danny’s legs opened wide, putting himself on display for Steve “Fuck me”

Steve gulped, his dick twitching with desire. He reached for the nightstand, opening the drawer and taking a bottle of lube and a condom out. Danny stared with a funny look, half mockery and half annoyance.

“Where you that sure that I was gonna fall for your dirty tricks?”

Steve opened the bottle and soaked his fingers, teasing Danny’s entrance with one of them.

“A guy can dream” Steve smiled, pushing his digit inside. His finger went in way too easily, not only because of the lube, and that got a frown on Steve’s face.

“Have you been–” Steve left his question unfinished, entering his second finger with ease.

“Like you said, babe, a guy can dream” Danny gave him a lopsided smile, sinking himself further down those slicked fingers that had fueled his fantasies for so long.

Steve crocked his fingers just perfectly, pressing his gland and sending a wave of pleasure that flooded his nervous system. Steve worked his third finger inside Danny, thrusting and getting him ready and wet, getting drunk with the moans and pleads that the blond whispered with his ragged breathing.

“Come on, Steve. I have been ready for a while now. Fuck me”

“No, Danny. I won’t fuck you” Steve slipped his fingers out, opening the condom and putting it on “I will make love to you”

Steve poured more lube on himself, holding his cock by the base and guiding himself inside Danny. Danny forced his body to relax, breathing deeply when the head breached the ring of muscle. Steve reached for him, intertwining their fingers together on each side of Danny’s head.

Steve gave him a slow but heated kiss, sinking inside Danny until he was flush with the cop’s perfect ass. Danny interrupted the kiss, dropping his head on the pillow and taking a few seconds to adjust.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, ready to pull out if Danny asked him to.

“It annoys me how much I love you” Danny whined, hooking his legs around Steve and squeezing his hands “Now move, you idiot”

Steve chuckled and obeyed, thrusting into Danny with a steady rhythm.

“I love you, Danny. I love you so damn much”

Danny answered by pulling Steve even closer, his strong thighs forcing the commander to thrust harder and deeper. Danny was meeting every thrust with his own movements, shifting his hips until he found the perfect angle for Steve’s cock to brush his prostate again and again until he became a sweaty mess.

“Steve, you feel so good inside me. Fuck. Don’t stop. Make me cum, please” Danny was loud and perfect under Steve, the chemistry of their bodies as heavenly and natural as it was on the field.

Steve let go of one of Danny’s hands, holding Danny’s dick with it and jerking his member with the full intention of taking Danny to his orgasm.

“Yeah, that’s good. Fuck, Steve, I can’t” Danny squeezed his eyes shut, arching his back and shooting his release on his stomach and Steve’s hand.

Feeling how Danny clenched around him made his thrusts more paused and jerkier, his belly tight with how close he was to his own climax.

“Cum for me, Steve” Danny’s voice was dry and hoarse on his ear. Danny kept on clenching his muscles, languidly moving his hips up and down. He bit down on the crock of Steve’s neck, that being the final button that pushed Steve into moaning Danny’s name and coming hard inside the blond.

It took Steve a few seconds to get back to reality and pull out of his lover, laying down beside him and waiting for his breathing to go back to normal.

“That bite was cheating” Steve accused the blond. Danny only huffed and closed his eyes.

After some minutes, the taller man dumped the condom in the trash can and went to the bathroom to get a wet towel to clean the mess that Danny was.

“Should have guessed that you never shut up, not even during sex” Steve said while wiping the cooling cum on Danny’s abs.

“It looked to me that you enjoyed this mouth” Danny smirked, opening his eyes and lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

“I really did” Steve dropped the towel and rejoined his lover on the bed, holding Danny close and enjoying the satiated feeling that was left after such good sex.

“Seriously, Steve, how did you manage to get our team into this? Last time I checked they wanted to kill you and avenge my honor” Danny kissed Steve’s cheek.

“Oh, believe me, Kono almost did. She screamed at me for almost an hour. Chin didn’t say much, but he looked at me as if I had killed a puppy, man. Lori was kind enough to assure me I was the stupidest man on this island”

“When did you even tell them, babe” Danny was happy caressing Steve’s chest, drawing a path over his tanned skin and reaching one of the SEAL’s strong tattooed arms, tracing the ink with the tip of his fingers.

“The day after you left. I called them, I just couldn’t stand being on my own” Steve stared into Danny’s eyes “Funny how, when I confessed what happened, they didn’t look surprised at all”

“Yeah, well, they kind of figured out I love you before I even told you” Danny chuckled, remembering their conversation at the lanai.

“They were the ones that encouraged me to fix this, to work hard and do my best to make us happy” Steve stroked Danny’s cheekbone before continuing “Yesterday, when you came into my office and gave me all that bullshit about you forcing your feeling on me, I informed them that I was ready to make a move” Steve shrugged “They seemed happy to help me”

“We have a good ohana” Danny smiled with fondness.

Danny thought about getting up and taking a bath, but right now he was too relaxed and happy to actually do anything. He began to make plans on his head, about getting breakfast and kissing Steve all day. Not only that, but he wanted to spend all his mornings like this, waking beside Steve and smiling at his sleepy hazel eyes, so full of love and trust.

“Steve” Danny called for his lover, remembering something.

“Yes, Danno?”

“I will never leave you”

Finally, Danny could say his promise out loud.


End file.
